Schwarzer worried about inexperienced Socceroos

04 June 2014 06:16

Australia's most capped player Mark Schwarzer Wednesday said he was worried about how inexperienced Ange Postecoglou's World Cup squad is and said he would not have axed Luke Wilkshire.

Postecoglou on Tuesday culled his squad to 23 by sending home veteran pair Wilkshire and Josh Kennedy, along with injured playmaker Tom Rogic and Mark Birighitti.

It was already light on experience after the dropping of former captain Lucas Neill and the recent international retirements of Schwarzer, Harry Kewell, Brett Emerton and Brett Holman.

Chelsea keeper Schwarzer said Postecoglou's regeneration of the Socceroos may prove too hasty at the World Cup.

"I personally wouldn't have left him out -- I would've taken him," he told reporters of defender Wilkshire, who has 80 caps.

"When you look at it from afar, and knowing what the squad's like and knowing what it's like to play a World Cup and how difficult it can be, I am surprised that he's opted to go with so little experience.

"But obviously he's got his own reasons for doing so.

"He's got ideas of how he wants to play and what type of players he wants to use. Eventually he'll be judged on those decisions and the performance of the team."

Postecoglou insisted he was confident in the ability of Ivan Franjic, now the only recognised right back after the surprise omission of Dynamo Moscow's Wilkshire.

"We have had to weigh up form, fitness and squad balance," he explained.

Schwarzer said the team would have been better off with Wilkshire and Neill.

"Lucas Neill, to me, is still one of the best defenders we've got," he said in Sydney.

"I think it would've been invaluable to have those guys in and around the squad in particular -- if not playing in the 11, then you'd have them definitely in the squad.

"I know people are talking about change and wanting change, but I think you can also change things too quickly. Only time will tell."

The Socceroos face Croatia in Salvador on Friday in their final warm-up before meeting Chile on June 14 in Cuiaba.